From 1996 to 2004, biotech crops increased 47-fold across the globe. Yet, these crops -- foods genetically modified to resist pests and weeds or even to create drugs for humans -- may be ripened past their prime. In fact, after a number of years of increased growth, the number of biotech crops is heading on a decline.
Moreover, it takes twice as long for crops to get approved by the government today as it did in the 1990s.
Both the Food and Drug Administration, which makes sure the crops are safe for human consumption, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which looks out for the safety of other plants, need to approve each biotech variety. And crops that "pass the bar" have significantly been dropping:
Between 1995 and 1999, the Food and Drug Administration approved 9.4 varieties of biotech crops a year, compared to only three per year from 2000 to 2004.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved 8.2 varieties per year from 1994 to 1999, yet only a mere 2.6 per year from 2000 to 2004.
Biotech Crops in America
Despite the current downward trend, genetically modified foods are still a significant presence in American agriculture today: Most soy, cotton and canola are biotech, in addition to almost half the corn (used mostly for feed and grain). Among these four crops, two genetic traits exist:
The only other genetically modified crops grown commercially, though small by comparison, is insect-resistant sweet corn, virus-resistant summer squash and virus-resistant papaya. New crops on the horizon include: herbicide-resistant sunflowers, soybean and canola for the production of healthier oil and herbicide-resistant alfalfa and sugar beets.
USA Today February 3, 2005
It is encouraging to learn that biotech approvals in this country are on the decline, however I'm still concerned about this issue. For instance, a recent study found you have a 70 percent chance of picking a food with genetically modified (GM) ingredients off the shelf at your local grocery store. This is because seven out of every 10 items have been genetically modified!
Americans are kept largely in the dark about GM products, and most are not aware they are eating these foods because there are no labeling requirements for GM foods. This, despite the fact that there have been no studies done with humans to show what happens when genetically modified foods are consumed, and an ABC News poll (PDF) found that 92 percent of Americans want mandatory labels on GM foods.
Avoiding Genetically Modified Foods
As you can see, the absence of guidelines or regulation of GM foods, plus the fact that there is no telling what effects these foods have on the body when consumed, is a dangerous risk to human health. It would be wise to try to avoid GM foods at all costs. Therefore, I would like to offer you several ways to reduce your chances of eating GM foods:
Buy Organic. Buying organic is currently the best way to ensure that your food has not been genetically modified. By definition, food that is certified organic must be free from all GM organisms, produced without artificial pesticides and fertilizers and from an animal reared without the routine use of antibiotics, growth promoters or other drugs. Read Labels. GM soybeans and corn make up the largest portion of genetically modified crops. When looking at a product label, if any ingredients such as corn flour and meal, dextrin, starch, soy sauce, margarine, and tofu (to name a few) are listed, there's a good chance it has come from GM corn or soy (unless it's listed as organic). Look at Produce Stickers. Those little stickers on fruit and vegetables contain different PLU codes depending on whether the fruit was conventionally grown, organically grown or genetically modified. The PLU code for conventionally grown fruit consists of four numbers, organically grown fruit five numbers prefaced by the number 9, and GM fruit five numbers prefaced by the number 8. Avoid Processed Foods. About 70 percent of all processed foods contain genetically modified ingredients. There are many reasons why processed foods are not optimal for your health -- for instance they often contain trans fat, acrylamide and little nutritional value -- so avoiding them will not only help you to cut back on the amount of GM foods you are consuming, but will also boost your health. If you are interested in learning more about the problems with GM foods, I strongly recommend reading the incredible series, Seeds of Doubt, written by staffers at the Sacramento Bee.
Buy Organic. Buying organic is currently the best way to ensure that your food has not been genetically modified. By definition, food that is certified organic must be free from all GM organisms, produced without artificial pesticides and fertilizers and from an animal reared without the routine use of antibiotics, growth promoters or other drugs.
Read Labels. GM soybeans and corn make up the largest portion of genetically modified crops. When looking at a product label, if any ingredients such as corn flour and meal, dextrin, starch, soy sauce, margarine, and tofu (to name a few) are listed, there's a good chance it has come from GM corn or soy (unless it's listed as organic).
Look at Produce Stickers. Those little stickers on fruit and vegetables contain different PLU codes depending on whether the fruit was conventionally grown, organically grown or genetically modified. The PLU code for conventionally grown fruit consists of four numbers, organically grown fruit five numbers prefaced by the number 9, and GM fruit five numbers prefaced by the number 8.
Avoid Processed Foods. About 70 percent of all processed foods contain genetically modified ingredients. There are many reasons why processed foods are not optimal for your health -- for instance they often contain trans fat, acrylamide and little nutritional value -- so avoiding them will not only help you to cut back on the amount of GM foods you are consuming, but will also boost your health.
If you are interested in learning more about the problems with GM foods, I strongly recommend reading the incredible series, Seeds of Doubt, written by staffers at the Sacramento Bee.
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